In September 2018, in the pages of Tom King and Tony S. Daniel’s Batman #55, the former Robin Dick Grayson was shot in the head by KGBeast, effectively erasing his memories of his time as not only the Boy Wonder but as Nightwing. Since then, he has ditched his tights and domino mask in favor of a taxicab and a life as a freeloader. What’s more, he even gave up his name and now chooses to go by Ric Grayson, much to the chagrin of longtime fans of the character.

Nevertheless, while we still don’t have the real Dick Grayson back, the former Batman sidekick is Nightwing again… Well, sort of.

After aiding the Blüdhaven Police Department’s gang of “Nightwings” (officers who’ve been protecting the city while sporting Dick’s old costumes) against a large-scale attack by Scarecrow, Ric’s cab is returned to him by the leader of the vigilantes, Detective Alphonse Sapienza. Furthermore, the detective was able to piece together that the man with grease paint over his eyes who assisted him the other night and Ric Grayson are one and the same. This places the two men at an apparent standstill, though, as Ric realizes only someone not affected by Scarecrow’s fear gas would have remembered the events of that evening.

However, while both of their secrets have been exposed, Sapienza isn’t interested in pointing fingers.

“I don’t care about your identity,” he says, “and I expect you not to look into mine… or my colleagues’. Especially if we might work together again.”

“We’re going to stand the best chance of protecting Blüdhaven when we’re all on the same team,” he continues before explaining that being a Nightwing isn’t merely a one-time thing.

“All right,” Ric says as he shakes Sapienza’s hand. “Count me in.”

And just like that, it appears as though Ric Grayson has joined the Blüdhaven Police Department’s non-sanctioned team of Nightwings. It’s a good thing, too, because with The Joker’s daughter Duela Dent on the loose, the officers-turned-superheroes are going to need all the help they can get.